Wednesday, 17 October 2012

At IHRSA this year the keynote speaker, Simon Sinek,
inspired us with a very simply premise: business should 'start with why.'
In other words, the most successful businesses - with Apple front and centre of
course - grow from a core of passion, purpose and set of beliefs. And
from this core, everything they do can be traced back to this set of values and
beliefs, instilling an integrity and rigour in what they make and how they sell
and support it. Apple is all about powerful technology that's easy to use
and beautiful look at.

Later the same day, I met two of the founders of RunningUnlimited. A couple of guys who'd flown to LA to better understand the
fitness sector - a whole new world for them. They'd started long-distance
running a few years prior and with rather symbiotic backgrounds - one is a
film-maker and media lawyer, and the other, a marketing strategist from the
technology sector. And yet here they were. What immediately struck
me was here was an example of 'starting with why'.

Their why related to transforming indoor running.
As Kevin Hewitt, our inaugural presenter of tomorrow's webinar, explained it:
"I was aware of all these incredible technologies that were out there that
could make indoor exercise so amazing and enjoyable. And the more we
looked into what was going on in the sector, the more we realised we could
really make a difference." As long distance, outdoor runners, their
quest was to bring the outdoors in, to make indoor running enjoyable and
inspiring.

About Me

Dave Stalker is the Chief Executive Officer of the Fitness Industry Association (FIA).
Dave’s considerable experience of the industry is drawn from working in the UK and Europe for almost 20 years. In that time he has worked at every tier of the corporate ladder from a Level One fitness instructor to CEO and served previously as an elected member of the FIA Board of Directors.
Prior to joining the FIA, Stalker was Managing Director of Worldwide Health Ltd. He has also held senior positions with companies such as Bladerunner, LA Fitness, Leisure Connection and First Leisure.
Dave, who is married with two children, is an enthusiastic follower of most sports, and particularly of rugby, which he played for a number of years in Kenya, his country of birth.
His Kenyan background has also given him an enthusiasm for wildlife and he believes he would have been a marginally better TV presenter than Attenborough.